You’ve been training for months and the big event is almost here: RACE DAY! If you’re racing in the New Jersey State Triathlon, it’s this Saturday & Sunday and the NYC Tri (my next race) is August 3rd, right around the corner.
A tricky thing about triathlons is all the gear; use this handy list when prepping your race bag. I suggest setting out all of your racing gear at least a week before the race to ensure you’ve got everything and still have time to shop if something is broken or missing.
Below is my list of race-day must haves. Some things are obvious but for new racers, some items may sound a little foreign. Read on below for more information.
Swim Gear: You’ll want your regular goggles and a spare set just incase the first pair breaks. Anti-fog solution will keep your view clear and PAM is my secret weapon for easily slipping into my wetsuit, plus you can take the rest home for your future dinner! But really, it might look funny on race morning but spraying myself with PAM is one of my race rituals.
Bike Gear: While you hope it won’t happen, be prepared for a flat tire. Many bike shops sell flat tire kits that include the Co2 cartridges that will make for a quick tube inflation (instead of a hand pump).
Run Gear: You won’t want to waste time pinning your race number to your tri suit so have it all set up, already pinned to a race belt that you can easily toss on in transition.
General Items: Here we’ve got basic gear like tri shorts and top (or one piece suit, which I prefer), socks (and an extra pair in case one pair gets wet), a towel (helpful in transition to lay all your gear on), flip flops (for walking around after you’ve left transition pre-race, get a cheap pair you can toss once the race starts), a flashlight (sometimes it’s still dark when you’re setting up your gear on race morning), toilet paper (in case the porter potty situation is less than ideal…which is likely), lots of water and fuel (I like Chomps and Gu), Vaseline (for chaffing) and a really big duffel to carry all of this stuff!
Now that we’ve run through this list you can see why it’s key to prep your items well before race weekend. Print this list and bring it with you when you go shopping.
The cost of all of these items adds up quickly and the price of your first triathlon is high, but keep in mind that most of these items can take you through multiple race seasons. Hopefully you’ll love your tri experience and will be signed up for another race shortly after that first medal is put around your neck.
